Aziz Allilou is a student at the Higher Institute of Media and Communications (ISIC) and Morocco World News correspondent in Rabat.

Jan 3, 2015

Rabat – Following some men’s complaints about male strangers sitting next to their wives, Saudi Arabian national airline Saudia is moving forward to segregate men and women on its airplanes.

According to news360, Saudia will order staff to keep men and women segregated on board their planes, unless they are close relatives.

Multiple reports suggest that the policy change came in response to complaints from men unwilling to allow other males to sit next to their wives and other female family members.

Saudi daily Ajel quoted Saudia assistant manager for marketing Abdul Rahman Al Fahd as saying that “there are solutions to this problem…we will soon enforce rules that will satisfy all passengers.”

This policy comes as part of Saudi Arabia’s culture of gender segregation, which is deeply rooted in the mentality of minimizing the exposure of women in society.

In Saudi Arabia, women are not allowed to travel or work until they get their male guardian’s (mahram) approval.

Saudi Arabian women are not allowed to work as cabin crewmembers on Saudi Arabia’s national carriers. Instead, Saudi Arabia’s national airlines employ women from other countries, including Morocco, as flight attendants.